User Research (2026)

1. Erika Hall
2. Kate Towsey
3. Nikki Anderson Stanier
4. Steve Portigal
5. Teresa Torres
6. Holly Cole
7. Emma Boulton
8. Judd Antin
9. Indi Young
10. Brad Orego

Here are 10 notable individual experts and thought leaders who have significantly shaped user research (UXR) and research operations (ResearchOps), listed in order of their industry-wide influence: 10 UX researchers to follow - UX Collective

1. Steve Portigal – Author of Interviewing Users and host of the Dollars to Donuts podcast, widely recognized for shaping modern user interview methods and scaling research practices within organizations. Top UX research voices worth following in 2026 - LyssnaTop UX research voices worth following in 2026 - Lyssna

2. Tomer Sharon – Former Head of UX at WeWork and author of Validating Product Ideas , known for evangelizing lean research methodologies across the tech industry.

3. Erika Hall – Co-founder of Mule Design and author of Just Enough Research , influential for defining practical, strategic research standards and ethics in design. Top UX research voices worth following in 2026 - Lyssna

4. Tricia Wang – Global tech ethnographer and speaker known for pioneering the concept of "thick data", bridging human-centered qualitative research with big data analytics. 10 UX researchers to follow - UX Collective

5. Nikki Anderson – Founder of the User Research Academy and prominent educator who has built global frameworks for foundational UXR training, community building, and strategy. Top UX research voices worth following in 2026 - Lyssna

6. Michael Margolis – Partner UX Research Manager at GV (formerly Google Ventures), known for pioneering rapid research methods for early-stage startups and product teams. 10 UX researchers to follow - UX Collective

7. Saswati Saha Mitra – UX research leader known for establishing human-centered research benchmarks across international markets and enterprise tech scale. 10 UX researchers to follow - UX Collective

8. Matt Gallivan – Prominent voice in scaling user research programs, operationalizing insights, and integrating research impact into large tech ecosystems.

9. Aryel Cianflone – Co-founder of the Mixed Methods podcast and a key pioneer in developing community-driven infrastructure, discourse, and frameworks specifically for ResearchOps. 10 UX researchers to follow - UX Collective

10. Kate Towsey – Widely recognized as a foundational pioneer of the formal ResearchOps movement, having established foundational structures and global communities for scaling research operations.

Here are the top 10 individual people ranked from most to least influential in the fields of user research and research operations, based on community recognition, foundational publications, and leadership:

1. Kate Towsey – Founder of the global ResearchOps Community, inventor of the PWDR framework, and author of Research That Scales , widely recognized as the pioneer who formalized and scaled ResearchOps globally. Kate Towsey - Founder and editor in chief of The ... - LinkedInKate Towsey
2. Steve Portigal – Author of Interviewing Users and host of Dollars to Donuts , a premier voice in deep qualitative customer interviewing and research practice maturity. Steve Portigal - User research consultant, speakerPortigal | Build a mature research practice
3. Jared Spool – Founder of UIE and Co-founder of Center Centre, a long-standing authority shaping modern usability, research integration, and design strategy. 10 Influential Voices of the UX World to Follow | by Zacharia C
4. Erika Hall – Co-founder of Mule Design and author of [Just Enough Research], a foundational voice on pragmatic, strategic user research methods.
5. Nikki Anderson – Creator of The User Research Strategist, prolific educator, and leading voice on stakeholder alignment, UXR strategy, and operational scaling. Nikki Anderson on Maven
6. Eniola Abioye – Senior UX Researcher at Meta and founder of UX Outloud, widely influential in operationalizing user-centricity and guiding practitioner development. Business 101 for Researchers
7. Michele Ronsen – Founder and CEO of Curiosity Tank, renowned corporate educator and public advocate for actionable user research methodologies.
8. Sarah Doody – Founder of Career Strategy Lab and prominent educator focusing on teaching research-backed product thinking to designers and teams.
9. Sarah Winters – Founder of Content Design London and pioneer of evidence-based content research and readability standards.
10. Janelle Ward – Research and insights leader known for extensive writing and community leadership around scaling international user research programs and data practices.

If you'd like, I can provide:

• The key books and frameworks associated with each expert
• Specific podcasts or articles where you can read their recent work

Let me know how you'd like to explore further.

1. Nikki Anderson Stanier
2. Steve Portigal
3. Erika Hall
4. Jared Spool
5. Holly Cole
6. Michele Rosen
7. Janelle Ward
8. Anna Howell
9. Steve Bromley
10. Kate Towsey

Top 10 most influential voices in User Research & ResearchOps (ranked):

1. Julie Zhuo

2. Lenny Rachitsky

3. Shreyas Doshi

4. Kate Towsey

5. Jared Spool

6. Sarah Doody

7. Erika Hall

8. Nikki Anderson

9. Holly Cole

10. Rodrigo Dalcin

Why these 10 stand out

These individuals are consistently cited across UX, user research, and ResearchOps communities as the most influential voices shaping practice, methods, and organizational strategy:

• Julie Zhuo – Former VP of Product Design at Facebook, author of The Making of a Manager , widely followed for her insights on scaling design and research teams.25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH USER TESTING METHODS IN 2025

• Lenny Rachitsky – Product and growth strategist, known for his newsletter and podcast on experimentation and user insights.25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH USER TESTING METHODS IN 2025

• Shreyas Doshi – Former Stripe and Twitter product leader, influential on decision-making and testing culture.25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH USER TESTING METHODS IN 2025

• Kate Towsey – Founder of the ResearchOps Community, a central figure in defining and advancing ResearchOps practices.Top Voices Shaping the ReOps Community in 2025 | Condens | 18 comments

• Jared Spool – Longtime UX strategist, founder of UIE, and a leading voice on research operations and UX maturity.25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH USER TESTING METHODS IN 2025

• Sarah Doody – UX researcher and career strategist, known for practical frameworks on research careers and testing.25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH USER TESTING METHODS IN 2025

• Erika Hall – Co-founder of Mule Design, author of Just Enough Research , a seminal voice in UX research methods.Top 15 UX Experts You Should be Following in 2025Best UX Influencers, Experts & Thought Leaders to Follow in 2025 | UXtweak

• Nikki Anderson – Founder of The User Research Strategist, widely followed for her thought leadership on democratization and research careers.37 Active UX Leaders to Follow on Linkedin in 2025

• Holly Cole – Recognized ResearchOps leader, active in community building and operational frameworks.Top Voices Shaping the ReOps Community in 2025 | Condens | 18 comments

• Rodrigo Dalcin – Emerging influential voice in ResearchOps, contributing to scaling research practices globally.Top Voices Shaping the ReOps Community in 2025 | Condens | 18 comments

Key considerations

• Balance of influence : The list blends established UX research leaders (e.g., Jared Spool, Erika Hall) with ResearchOps pioneers (e.g., Kate Towsey, Holly Cole).

• Community impact : These figures are not just publishing ideas - they actively shape communities, frameworks, and organizational practices.

• Global reach : Their influence spans conferences, books, podcasts, newsletters, and online communities, ensuring broad visibility and impact.

📌 In summary: If you want to follow the most impactful voices in user research and ResearchOps today, these 10 individuals represent the strongest combination of thought leadership, practical frameworks, and community influence. Would you like me to also map out what each of them is best known for in a structured table (e.g., books, communities, podcasts)? That way you can quickly see where to engage with their work.